Plan B
by Fanus Obscurus
Summary: Celestial Being was formed by optimism. But that of the ideas of a pessimist? This is their tale. Rating will flip flop between T and M at times. References and shutouts abound!
1. Chapter 1

AN: Well, I've always let it be known in my works that I'm a mecha fan. High time I make a mecha fic. And what better place to make one then the first show I ever watched to completion, Gundam 00. So, sit back and watch me mangle one of things that got me into mecha and anime and general. Here we go guys! Shout outs to the launch tubes! OCs to the ready rooms! Prime the madness generator! Prepare to warp to the AU!

Mobile Suit Gundam 00

Plan B

By Fanus Obscurus

CH1 Cover Up

WELCOME USER

LOGIN

USERNAME *********

ACCESS GRANTED

ACCESSING FILE [REDACTED]

PASSWORD ********

PROJECT [REDACTED]

ACCUMULATED INFO C. 2301

DATE 2069 DR. [REDACTED] PROPOSED 1ST DRAFT FOR PROJECT [REDACTED]. PROPOSAL APPROVED AFTER MUCH DELIBERATION.

DATE: 2070 PROJECT [REDACTED] BEGINS. CHIEF SCIENTISTS CONFIDENT IN PROGRAM SUCCESS

2072: APRIL 3 FIRST TEST SUBJECT SELECTED, CHIEF RESEARCHER [REDACTED] VOLUNTEERS UNWILLING TO TEST FORMULA ON ANOTHER HUMAN.

APRIL 7 FINAL INJECTIONS COMPLETE. STAGE 2 CAN NOW BEGIN. PROJECT #343, [REDACTED], AT 97% COMPLETION, AWAITING SOFTWARE INTEGRATION.

APRIL 16 SUBJECT ALPHA, DR [REDACTED], FINISHED PREPPING. TRAINING TO USE [REDACTED] BEGINS.

APRIL 24 NO HAZARDOUS AFTEREFFECTS DISCOVERED ON SUBJECT ALPHA. INTEGRATION OF HARDWARE COMPLETE, PROTOTYPE 1 DEPLOYED IN WHITE SANDS FOR TESTING. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECT DISCOVERED -[REDACTED]- OPEN FOR POSSIBLE USES.

MAY 6 RESULTS ASTOUNDING. IN LIVE FIRE EXERCISE, MKXIII MASER UNABLE TO AFFECT [REDACTED] AT RANGE OF 5M, EFFECTIVE RANGE TO MELT 16M OF TUNGSTEN. MINIMAL FRACTURING DETECTED VIA ELECTRON MICROSCOPE ANALYSIS AT 10000000X MAGNIFICATION AFTER 16 HOUR SUSTAINED BOMBARDMENT ON LIVE SUBJECT WITH MKV 200MM RAILCANNONS. SUBJECT ALPHA SHOWS NO SIGNS OF INTERNAL DAMAGE TO BODY. COMPLAINED OF MILD RINGING SOUND, INDICATING ARMOR EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS FOR VIBRATION ABSORBING QUALITIES.

MAY 8 COMBAT TRIALS BEGIN: SUBJECT SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGES 1 DIVISION IN SIMULATED COMBAT WITH KNIFE ONLY. EFFECTIVE KILLS UNTIL SIGHT CONFIRMATION 50%. TARGETING SYSTEMS ON PROTOTYPE 1 PROVEN TO BE RATED FOR ORBITAL TARGETING. INTEGRATED EQUIPMENT TESTED TO ABOVE HIGHEST EXPECTED FIELD WEAR, 0% PART FAILURE, POSSIBLY DUE TO [REDACTED] COATINGS. SUBJECT ALPHA HAS EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS OF PROJECT.

MAY 18 PROJECT MOVED FROM TESTING TO PRODUCTION PHASE [REDACTED]

JUNE 3 FIRST WAVE OF SUBJECTS, 200 STRONG ENTER PROCESSING. EXPECTED OUT JUNE 19.

JUNE 23 SUBJECT 023 EXPERIENCES MENTAL BREAKDOWN. PROCEEDS TO STEAL [REDACTED].LEADS ALL 200 SUBJECTS IN [REDACTED]. FACILITY DESTROYED IN ENSUING ENGAGEMENT. 27 SUBJECTS TERMINATED BY SUBJECT ALPHA. ALL REMAINING SCIENTISTS ON BASE TERMINATED BY [REDACTED]. SUBJECT 023 AND OTHERS FLEE SITE.

JULY 9 ALL PURSUITS FAIL. SUBJECTS BELIEVED TO HAVE ESCAPED OVERSEAS TO MIDDLE EAST ISIS BLOCK. ALL EFFORTS TO FOLLOW MEET WITH FAILURE. TWENTY-NINE AGENTS MAILED BACK TO CIA, NUMEROUS ONES IN LIQUID HOLDING CONTAINERS. BELIEVE HOSTILE POWERS AIDING SUBJECTS, NOW REFERRED TO AS THE [REDACTED] IN OFFICIAL PAPERS. SUBJECT ALPHA FORCES SHUTDOWN OF PROJECT [REDACTED] DUE TO INABILITY TO DISCOVER CAUSE OF MENTAL BREAKDOWN IN SUBJECT 023 AND LACK OF STAFF LEAVING US WITH 1

JULY 11 FORCES SIGHTED IN ISIS BLOCK WEARING SOLID BLACK [REDACTED]. NUMBERS MATCH [REDACTED] STRENGTH. POSSIBLE STRIKES CONSIDERED AT HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. NEGOTIATION ATTEMPTS PLANNED.

NOV. 7 NUMBERS OF [REDACTED] KNOW KNOW BY NEW NAME, [REDACTED] EXCEED ESCAPED SUBJECTS NUMBERS. ISIS BLOCK HAVE REPLICATED PROJECT [REDACTED] SO QUICKLY? POSSIBLE PLANT SUSPECTED FROM EARLY DAYS. CURRENT ESTIMATE AT 300.

DEC 1 NEGOTIATIONS HAVE FAILED. PLANS DRAFTED FOR INSERTION OF SUBJECT ALPHA, CODENAMED [REDACTED].

DEC 3 COVERT OPS PLAN REJECTED. ISIS BLOCK BEGINS INVASION OF EUROPE, SPEARHEADED BY [REDACTED], ALONGSIDE WEAPONIZED REMNANTS OF 2014 EBOLA PLAGUE RELEASED IN SEVERAL MAJOR CITIES. CURRENT CASUALTIES NUMBER IN THE MILLIONS. THIRD MID-EASTERN WAR, OPERATION TENTH CRUSADE. SUBJECT ALPHA INSERTED TO FULFILL OBJECTIVES ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED BY PROJECT [REDACTED].

DATE 2073 JAN 1 ISIS BLOCK REPELLED VIA CONVENTIONAL FORCES INTO OLD IRAN. SUBJECT ALPHA HAS SUCCESSFULLY ELIMINATED 47% OF [REDACTED]. NEW RECRUITS REVEALED TO BE USING INFERIOR EQUIPMENT. SUBJECT 023 GOES UNDERGROUND, ALONG WITH [REDACTED].

JAN 5 ISIS BLOCK LAUNCHES LAST DITCH STRIKES, IGNITING KEY OIL WELLS VIA NUCLEAR STRIKES, OPERATION PYRE. STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES OF MID EAST ESTIMATED TO BE REDUCED BY 89%. INFLATION SKYROCKETS DUE TO COST OF FUEL FOR TRANSPORTATION. ALTERNATIVES BEING CONSIDERED.

JAN 16 SUBJECT ALPHA MILITARY EXPLOITS OFFICIALLY STRICKEN FROM MILITARY RECORDS. PROJECT [REDACTED] STRICKEN FROM RECORDS.

MARCH 9 DR. [REDACTED] PUBLISHES FIRST PAPERS ON [REDACTED] AND [REDACTED]. PROPOSALS REJECTED DUE COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAVEL TIME. HYDROGEN BECOMES FUEL OF CHOICE FOR NEAR FUTURE UNTIL OIL RESERVES OF MID-EAST REGENERATES.

JUNE 7 DR. [REDACTED] ENTERS STATE OF DEPRESSION DUE TO RESULTS OF PROJECT [REDACTED]. SUICIDE WATCH PLACED.

JUNE 9 SUBJECT ALPHA DISAPPEARS. ALL REMAINING DATA ON PROJECT [REDACTED] DESTROYED. ALL EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO PREVENT REPEAT OF [REDACTED]. INFORMATION LEFT BEHINDS INDICATE NO TREASON, BUT THAT ALPHA DOES NOT WISHED TO BE FOUND. HIS WISHES ARE INFORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGED.

DATE 2090 JANUARY 3 ALPHA SITED WITH UP AND COMING SCIENTIST AEOLIA SCHENBERG AT SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE. EFFORTS TO EAVESDROP REVEAL DISCUSSIONS ON POLITICS, WAR, SPACE EXPLORATION, FIRST CONTACT THEORIES, AND THE FUTURE OF MANKIND IN GENERAL. CONTACT INFO EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE TWO.

APRIL 18 AEOLIA SCHENBERG PROPOSES THE ORBITAL ELEVATOR PLANS, POSSIBLY BASED OF DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN ALPHA AND AEOLIA. PLANS FOR WHAT WOULD LATTER BECOME KNOW AS THE MOBILE SUIT INCLUDED IN DOCUMENTS. FACT UNOFFICIALLY GLOSSED OVER.

DATE 209X AEOLIA BEGINS STRONGLY PUSHING ENDEAVORS TO COLONIZE SPACE. DISAPPEARS IN 2101.

DATE 2188 [REDACTED] SIGHTED AS PART OF THE FOUR SHIP _EUROPA_ MISSION TO JUPITER. ALONG THE WAY, ALL SHIPS BESIDES _EUROPA_ DESTROYED BY MASSIVE MICRO-METEORITE STORM. [REDATED] BELIEVED LOST IN SPACE.

DATE 2225 EXPEDITION TO DISCOVER THE RESULTS OF MISSING _EUROPA_ TURN UP MENTAL BREAK AND MASS HOMICIDE AMONG CREW. NO BODIES FOUND.

DELETE FILES Y/N?

Y

FILES DELETED

.WORM UPLOAD AT 100% ACTIVE NOW

"And in other news on JNN, a hack was performed today on Union Central Intelligence, destroying thousands of files dating back to the 20th century. More to follow at 6."

AN And so begins my new tale for an AU Gundam 00 universe. This may make little sense at first, and I hope it does. Why else sensor it? Free internet cookies to anyone who figures out references. And if anyone is offended by my use of the current epidemic as a weapon, it ain't an original thought. Hell, Russia admitted when if first began to spread that all their weaponized stocks of it were intact. As for the ISIS deal, well, I wanted more than one reason for the Orbital Elevators to be built. So, see ya'll next time!


	2. Chapter 2

AN So, now that the info dump is outta the way, time to see just what I can get up to for real! Notice: I'm assuming you've watched 00 before, so unless I have MAJOR variations of characters and hardware, don't expect a full description. It saves me a bit of time and research. Most tech descriptions will be either me making up my own or interpretations based of available info.

Ch2 Observations

_Unknown apartment building, Tokyo, Special Economic Zone_

"This is JNN news services morning report. In three days, the AEU will be unveiling their latest Mobile Suit, the AEU-09 Enact, to show off their latest and greatest in Solar Power technology. In other news, terrorism continues to run rampant in the Kingdom of Azidistan. The local Crown Princess, Marina Ismail, is currently trying to form diplomatic relations to extend the Solar Power energy grid to her kingdom, but is meeting with limited success. Azidistan is one of the few major Middle East countries to have survived the Solar Power Wars.

And, in our final report, astronomers reported sighting a massive flare up near Jupiter's moon Europa. Speculation is running rampant that the Martian Pirate clans are trying to build bases even further out system to evade anti-pirate patrols of the three major power blocks. This has been JNN news for today."

"So, the AEU is doing some saber rattling come Monday, eh? Time for the red herring to make their move then." Glancing down at my phone I notice that I had just received an email. Going thru it, I saw a plane ticket for the eight o'clock flight to the AEU and front line seats for the Enact demonstration. "Good work Veda." Looking over at my door, I saw my suitcases packed already. I figured that I might as well get their early in case of delays. Throwing on my worn out red leather jacket over my black shirt and my red tinted sunglasses, I glanced at the mirror beside my closet. "I don't look a day over 26." I muttered to myself. It certainly surprised my students at the academy when I started teaching there two years ago. They all expected a dottering old man to teach the engineering courses, but he had fallen ill at the time and devoted himself to the history courses. I was an able substitute and they had kept me on after the previous professor recovered.

Stepping out the door, I nearly ran over my neighbor who was put getting the morning paper. "Ah, Saji, out early this morning are we?"

"Ah, Professor Ionesco! Sorry to get in your way." The young man glanced at my bags. "Your going on a trip?"

"Yes, I'm going to the AEU to see the new Mobile Suit demonstrations. I always try and keep up with the latest advances in the field. They started off as nothing more than building machines, and even laden with firepower they can still serve the same purpose."

"Yes Professor. How long will you be gone for?"

"Worried about me my star pupil? Well, I am planning on taking an extended vacation afterwords. I've received an offer from another employer looking for me for some part time employment as well. It shouldn't take me out of the classroom to often. But don't worry, Dr Kashu is perfectly able to teach for me while I am gone. I'll give him some recordings of lectures for you to use. I know how much all of you enjoy my lectures of post-Third Solar War technology!"

"Yes, Professor! The alternatives they used before the creation of the Orbital elevators were amazing! Hydrogen fuel plants, experimental He^3 reactors, even experiments with new means of fusion! They were so varied! But why did we ever settle on solar?"

"Well my pupil, that is one of the lesser loved things about the Orbital elevators. It is easier to control. The three major blocks can wield it like a club. It may have taken an immense amount of resources, but once Tower was finished, the Union was able to shut down every competing power supply in the bloc by selling it cheaper and cheaper for no loss after 2300. After that, it became just another political tool like oil once was." Glancing at a clock on the wall, I saw the time. "Sorry to cut an run Saji, but I must get going, my flight leaves in an hour."

'Hai Sensei. I wish you a safe journey."

"You to Saji. Don't do anything with Louis I wouldn't do!" seeing his sudden blush brought a chuckle to my throat. I knew she had a thing for him, but at times he was almost to dense to see it. "Reminds me of the old classic _Nova Aditus Evangelium_.", I muttered to myself as I walked to the parking garage. Opening the secure storage carport, I straddled a true rarity: a 21st century gas guzzling Harley Davidson. While gas may not be the fuel of choice for a lot of things anymore, plastic production, one of the major uses of oil, still made gasoline, and rather than destroy it as industrial waste, several prominent collectors of antiques ran private gas stations all over the world for those that still loved the roar of an engine. I knew I did. Plus, I still get a good 20mph speed advantage over the latest Solar sports car! Revving the engine as load as she could go before quieting down to a soft purr, I pulled out and made my way for Tokyo international.

_Three days later..._

Beautiful Lake Victoria. A peaceful, idyllic place that looked like it hadn't changed since the dawn of man... till you turned around and looked at the miniature city surrounding the orbital elevator La Tour to provide support for the construction work still being done on it and the multiple airfields and armor parks to defend against any attacks by the other two blocs. AEU troops in their latest generation of power armor patrolled the testing site while engineers prepared it for the Enact demonstration. Glancing around, I saw someone I recognized from a few years ago.

"Billy, long time no see old friend! I haven't seen you since my last lecture on Pre-Solar Energy military hardware back in '97!"

"Professor Ionesco! I had no idea you would be here! I thought you retired from mobile suit design back in '05 to pursue other interests after your work on the Flag's design!"

"Well, you got me there Billy! I started teaching Engineering and Engineering History courses at a university in Tokyo back in the latter half of '05. figured I would help spread my knowledge onto the next generation early! Say, is that you friend Aker coming up from over there?"

'Yeah, that's the ace of MSWAD coming up fast. Hey Aker! I don't think you ever met Dr. Ionesco here. He was on of the guys that helped me and Professor Eifman build your mechanical love."

I threw up my hands at that one, catching onto the joke fast. "I deny anything about building anyone a blow up doll! As to building mechanical dolls that blow things up..."

"We get it doc, I'm just here to see how much the AEU stole from you designs and give my own interpretations back to Union intel."

"Well, judging from the handouts they gave me when I came to the front gate yesterday asking questions," I said, waving a press briefing on the mobile suit soon to be demonstrated, "it looks like they improved one or two things over the original Flag, but given the stated purpose of defending AEU holdings, I can see why. They greatly enhanced the Solar Energy link to La Tour vs the Flag, but at the cost of drastically cutting down on the armor. She's slightly smaller, and a good ten tons lighter, but packs fewer thrusters into her frame, meaning less raw power. It looks like these censored blueprints also forgot to leave out the fact that she doesn't use molecular fuel tanks laced thru the armor. It's half the back of the damn mobile suit according to these things! At least it won't explode violently like older models, but one good hit with a thermal round and you just lit it's entire fuel supply off at once. Judging from the receiver size on the prints, she can draw enough power to stay aloft by ion thrusters after burning thru the hydrogen, though at a drastically slower speed. It also looks like here variable fighter mode wasn't made for AA combat, but just throw on for mobility. That's why they shaved off a ton or two of armor I'm guessing. Looks like here maxed out shots have a longer charging delay, about 5 seconds judging by the capacitor banks in the diagram, despite being a smaller bore, 120mm vs our 200mm, but superior rapid fire capabilities It also looks like we have an edge in melee, as their sonic blade had a half minute less charge and it's plasma sheath can't focus enough power to cut thru E-Carbon. And they directly stole my little Psywarfare Visor!" I turned to see Billy and Aker's mouths hanging slightly ajar. It seemed like they had forgotten the Professor Eifman considered me an equal, if not superior engineer. "Mouths closed boys, your drawing crowds and flies."

"Dr., you were able to tell all that by a press briefing blueprint?"

"Yes, they didn't do that good a job on smudging out some of the details. Plus, a lot of those features were explicitly drawn out in the briefing. It seems like they are trying to compensate for their lack of progress on La Tour by making the Enact the biggest baddest thing on the block. My opinion? You could take them down with a 3:1 ratio of Realdos if were fighting them overseas. Here in AEU territory, where it can draw on the Solar grid to support it's hydrogen supplies? 1:1 ratio with a Flag. It can outperform the machine in all areas but the pilot would need to be monitoring his hydrogen supplies the entire time and retreat at around the 205 mark to escape a heated battle in the outskirts of AEU territory to a carrier making a long range strike. I'll send you my briefing on it tomorrow. I may have retired, but I will still aid my country of origin." Hearing the AEU anthem begin to play over the speakers, I looked up from my blueprints. "Ah, it looks like that bumbling oaf Colasour will be coming in soon. I'm sorry, but my seats are a bit further forward."

Walking to my seats, I pulled out a special pair of electro-binoculars. They were specially shielded against outside interference, especially against one thing. Glancing around, I could see the Enact come in at a blistering 5gs, linear rifle already drawing a bead at maximum range on the auto cannons place to simulate enemies, probably HRL given their love of conventional ordinance. "She's an agile sucker, but not as good as a Flag." I noted as it weaved in and out of the buildings and tracer fire, popping turret after turret. Finally deciding to show off the Enact's defense rod, Patrick weaved into the fire of the last remaining turret, holding the left arm out in front of the suit. The rod began spinning up and deployed it's plasma screen to add to the already strong rod's abilities to repel the incoming fire. What didn't hit the rod proper were vaporized by the superheated plasma shield, being based of the same tech as plasma swords. After dispatching the last turret with a wrist fired missile, Colasour began his acrobatic routine before stopping to yell at someone who I could only guess to be Aker over insulting his machine. I then glanced over at the cameraman beside me and noticed his camera electronics wink out.

"You certainly know when to make an entrance Exia. You couldn't ask for a better stage..."

Glancing around, I could see the confusion spread all through the AEU forces as their coms all went down at once. Confusion began to spread, as this could only mean one of the other blocks was attacking. But who?

Guessing exactly where it would be coming from, I set my binocs filter to filter out the sun and gazed directly at it. Coming head on was the beautiful angel of death, Exia.

'Took you long enough Setsuna. Now show to the world the power of a Gundam!"

Making my exit as the Exia quickly dismantled the Enact and flew off to engage the forces scrambling from the elevator with Dynames fire support, I glanced over to the horizon. If one with very good vision looked closely, they could see a brief twinkle much closer to the earth than a star. The twinkle of another life lost amongst the vast sea of nothingness. A life that the Gundams Kyrios and Virtue had claimed.

"I guess the old prerecorded message will be playing soon. Time for the world to take the bait."

"Yes, and time for Plan B to go into effect." came a voice that the world would soon become all to familiar with.

AN Whew! That was one long stretch of typing! Well now, just who is this mysterious Professor that knows so many key characters? Why an OC of course! And what off his offhand comments about things that didn't exist in Gundam 00, like the powered armor he mentions the AEU guards wearing? All in due time for this AU! Well, I will leave you with this. Free internet cookie if you find the references. One of them is a plot hint!


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Well, after my little cliffhanger last time, time for more exposition on my altered history of the 00 time line. Come on folks, I think we are late for class! (Note, all Arabic names used are in Farsi, with English translations provided.)

Ch3 History Present

_One day after Enact intervention..._

"... And thus concludes our lecture on the causes of the Third Mid-Eastern War. Now, any questions? You, Louise?"

"Yes Professor, I we've covered a lot of the events of this war, since it led to the eventual creation of the Elevators, but there is one aspect of the war we haven't covered, though..."

"You mean the Legend of the Red Comet? I figured one of you would ask. It always shows up. Very well class, let me regale you with a legend almost as exaggerated as the tales of Greek demigods and heroes. Very well then class. Take notes, this will be on a test since you brought it up!" A collective grumble sounded thru the class, mainly directed at Louise. I can't blame her for asking, the tales of the Red comet were the stuff many a good conspiracy theory and action movie.

"The first reported sighting of this legendary figure comes from the town of Kilis, Turkey, a city in close proximity to the capital of Syria, two days after the invasion into Europe was launched thru Turkey. The report, made by member of of the Turkish 68th Armored Infantry Regiment _Separ-Dar_, Shield Bearers, a power armor equipped unit, states that they were under heavy attack by the ISIS special forces group, _E__srafeel__,_ the Angel of Death. Casualties from the engagement were latter added up to over 90% for the Shield Bearers, while the _Esrafeel_ casualties were unknown. The report states that the _Esrafeel _ were equipped with a new generation of powered armor, vastly superior to the Separ-Dar's US supplied suits, that shrugged off the heaviest anti tank ordinance like water of a duck while smiting them with amazingly powerful rail weaponry. Another report from the same battle talks about a rapid fire weapon used against supporting units from the US 17th Armored Cav., equipped with M2A4 Patton Main Battle Tanks, that pierced their 300mm tungsten-composite armor like paper. Clearly, these reports may have been exaggerated, but nonetheless, the 68th Infantry was up against a vastly superior foe, as the casualties can attest to. Then, according to the reports, a C-130 transport flew overhead at 20000 ft, roughly 4 miles, and dropped a single trooper out of the back of the plane before scrambling to avoid ground fire. The trooper landed on the field, without a chute, using some unknown means to land that apparently left him hovering one foot above the ground. The reports say that he wore a full body suit, highly angular, painted almost entirely red, with no identification anywhere on the suit save for a highly artistic depiction comet on the right shoulder. Naturally, the ISIS forces focused on the newcomer, expecting him to fall. As I'm sure you all know, he didn't, instead drawing a large bore long barreled automatic pistol and opening fire on the on the ISIS forces. Where the Turkish forces failed, the newcomer's oversized pistol worked, blowing a hole thru ISIS troops one behind the other. The report went on to state that the weapon was firing at such high velocities that it was creating a visible bow waves from breaking the sound barrier. After roughly five minutes minutes and 30 casualties latter, the ISIS forces retreated from the area at maximum speed, leaving the badly battered defenders of Kilis witness to a battlefield miracle. The mysterious trooper left soon after the ISIS forces, gliding along the ground at a surprisingly high speed, appearing to the defenders as a Red Comet streaking across the sands."

"This figure appeared numerous times again in reports, official and unofficial, usually in combat with the _Esrafeel_, in places ranging from the 4 day Siege of Alepo and the Battle for the Suez Canal, to the Battle of Cypress in the Mediterranean, to the final pre-nuke Battle of Hormuz, the final redoubt of the ISIS government. Repeort vary from battle to battle of the red Comet's actions, some clamming he used a large pistol, others a long katana style sword roughly 4 ft in length, some a kukri style knife, other various rifles of unknown make. No military officially acknowledged his existence, but one press conference during the early post war time period credit him with being a major psychological weapon. Various theories range from him being a product of some type of super soldier program, such as the canceled HRL program, to a highly trained mercenary using the supplied with the latest in arms technology for field testing during the war. No official records exist of any deployments of mercenaries during the war, and no technology of any type like his was developed after the war, leading to both theories being called dead ends by theorists. But he lives on in tall tales, action films, historical action movies, and theories in the darkest corners of the net. Now, any questions, thoughts, confessions of being his long lost child?" That brought a chuckle as always.

Saji raised his hand, always eager to ask questions in my class. "Professor Ionesco, what's you opinion of the Red Comet?"

"Well, that's one I get asked a lot. My opinion is that he is most likely an exaggeration. I believe that there may be some unit that was equipped with advanced gear used against similar ISIS bloc forces, but I don't buy into the one man armies that Hollywood has turned him into. That's just silly. Now, I believe that is all our time together today. Before you leave, I would like to give you my customary assignment whenever this is first brought up. I would like a four page paper, typed, of you beliefs as to the truths and origins of the Red Comet, due in my in box in five days. NO movie scripts either, I know all of them. I don't ask for the most realistic depiction you can think of, far from it, I want you to have fun with this, but no plagiarism! I will see you all in class the day after tomorrow, I have to leave on a business trip for a secondary work project. Don't think I will forget about theses papers I have a perfect memory!"

_Three hours later_

Back at my apartment, I let my mind wander over today's news. I had told the class to also prepare for several lectures on Celestial Being, as the new terrorism group behind the attack on the Enact demonstration and the defense of Heaven's Pillar, mainly after seeing Aeolia Shenberg's part in their unveil. That had sent several of the major history buffs at the university into an uproar, due to Shenberg's know hatred off warfare, having lived thru the second, mass televised use, of nuclear weaponry in history. How they had simultaneously hacked every net connected device on earth for their message had also caused me to begin writing a lecture on communications technology for my class. But I had my business trip to plan for, so after a few hours I began walking off to the dockside office where my second job often took me.

_Five hours latter_

Ceylon, of the coat of India. An idyllic little island right off the coast of India. Idyllic, were it not for the ethnic warfare that raged across the island. Old reasons lost, the current battle was over mineral rights. Sinhalese miners equipped with MSER-04 Anfs waged war against the Tamil faction's MSJ-06II Tierens, sending round after round of 200mm cannon at each other, mercilessly gunning down escaped pilots from damaged suits with their 30mm cannons. Fires broke out from wayward high explosive rounds and leaking diesel engines, lighting drier parts of the surrounding jungle ablaze. Meanwhile, forces at the Human Reform League's outpost on the island watched with disinterest, concerned only with keeping the underground feeds from Tianzu intact and feeding the HRL's energy demands. In the jungles, guerillas fought tooth and nail in the fires, trying to claim random nameless clearing for their cause. Everything from pistols to anti-tank missiles were being fired into the jungles, sometimes at the firer's own allies. Limbs flew of under the hail of heavy machine gun fire. Here and there spider holes would pop open and nearby men would fall prey to shotguns, blowing hole torsos apart at point blank range. Medical camps, crude and primitive, came apart under hails of mortar fire, lighting blaze to cripple and doctor alike. Chaos reigned and somewhere in the vast multiverse beyond man's reasoning a titanic, armored figure covered from head to foot in plates of strange and alien design ate of the meal provided him. The fury of mans greatest endeavor claimed the once peaceful island.

On a hillside, Anfs fall back under the fury of the more advanced Tieren's advance forward. This was short lived, as pink beams lanced out at the Tieren's, cleanly clipping the arms off of the torso. Dynames had announced the arrival of the Gundam Meister's of Celestial Being. A cruiser shelling the Tamil civilian areas faced the full fury of the Virtue's GN Bazooka Burst Mode, coring the ship with a single lance of particles. Exia took to the field, disarming in the most literal manner his foes with his GN Sword. The HRL base wasn't spared either, as Kyrios took to the skies, unleashing it's drop pack's missiles and cluster bombs before dumping it into the jungle and strafing it with GN Sub-machinegun fire. Soon, the Tamil's began to retreat, Exia and Dynames ignoring them, believing their job done. This belief was soon shattered when overzealous Sinhalese pilots, believing the Gundams had come to aid their righteous cause, pressed on the attack, taking advantage of their saviors actions. Tamils that had bailed out were brutally gunned down while trying to surrender, some looking to the Gundam's with terror in there eyes at the devil's that had delivered them to their enemies hands, others with hope that they may save them as they had the Sinhalese. They were the ones who were proved right. Exia's pilot, consumed with fury at how their efforts were being used, lashed out at the Anfs, aiming directly at their cockpits. Dynames, left with no alternatives, supported his younger comrade. By the time they had finished, not a single MS was left in rebel hands on the island.

But in the jungles, the battle raged on. But a new challenger had appeared.

"Red Comet, commencing intervention."

AN Well... looks like someone is about to get a blast, or in this case, bullet, from the past. But what is a battlefield legend from the 21st century doing in Celestial Being's employ? Or more importantly, is he? All theses questions and more will not be answered in the next chapter! See ya on the battlefield!


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Well, sorry for the wait, technical problems over the holiday break. When we last left off, a blast from the past had descended into Ceylon. Time to see what he can get up to, shall we?

Ch4 Ballad of the Comet Raja clutched his battered, centuries old AK tightly as he moved thru the brush towards the flying Gundam's drop pod. Given how much the HRL arms dealers had talked about getting their hands on CB tech, it would be worth getting it into Tamil hands. Especially now that the Mobile Suit forces on Ceylon were now non-existent, save for HRL base sec. Keying his com, h checked with his commander in his bunker. Since the Solar Wars, terrorist had gotten increasingly high tech, roughly equivalent to 21st century armies in the communications department. The interlocked coms had made guerrilla ops far more efective, allowing multiple strikes to be executed with split second timing over hundreds of kilometers. The Real IRA had proven that back in 2302 with over 500 simultaneous bombings across England, including three within a hundred meters of #10 Downing! Looking at his map, he saw he was thirty meters away from the site. The crushed trees and Mobile Suits mad it easy to find. Wait... Mobile Suits? Hiding in the bushes that hadn't been flattened, he could see five Tierens, painted in the drab tan of Ceylon base sec. "Looks like they already secured it. Damn." They had thought about using it to get suits from other Blocs, maybe Helions or even Realdos. Oh well, they could get them other ways. A few explosions along the undersea cables by frogmen and a nice ship full of Tierens would be there in Tamil hands by morning! Turning around, Raja heard a thump. First he though it was a MS moving to grab the pod, but it was... different, like a damaged cannon being jettisoned. That wasn't right... turning back around, he knew it wasn't right, the barrel of one of the 200x25mm cannon lying on the jungle floor, cleanly sliced off. Looking up, he saw the impossible. Standing on the arm of a Tieren, was a suit of power armor. It wasn't a exo like most of the Tamil or Sinhalese suits. This was a full body suit. It had a humanoid shape, but ever part was at a sharp angles, like it was designed to slice into the air for high speed movement. A large bore pistol was mag locked to the left leg, a rifle slung over the back. A long kattana was in the right hand, possibly what had cut the gun. But Raja noticed none of this. Instead he focused on the right shoulder. The BRIGHT RED shoulder. And the comet that was beautifully painted onto it. It was impossible. He never existed, even if he had he should have died in the 22nd century! But there stood a battlefield legend, like the white robed armies of the Six Days War. The Red Comet of the Tenth Crusade. The Tieren reacted before Raja, reaching to squash this impudent fool. The hand barley moved before the pistol leapt into the specter's hand barking five times. Despite how hard the E-carbon/tungsten composite armor was, the pistol unched thru the heavily armored cockpits with a clean 15mm hole in the front, and tore the entire back out of the MS. One managed to get off a round from it's cannon and chin 30mm, but the armored ghost casually deflected the 30mm and sliced the 200mm in half with it's sword. The AP round feel to the floor less that ten yards from Raja, allowing him to see just how cleanly it had been cut. He should run. He should flee. This man could defeat him so casually, the entire Tamil forces! But he stayed, transfixed by this ghost of the past. Then he began to hear something. It was a group of Spanish guitars, strumming a simple tune. It was broadcasting from the suits speakers, like an effort a psywarfare, but why, he showed no sign of knowing he was here! Then he realized. It was also coming over his com. He quickly turned it off, but to no avail... wait... command override frequency would turn it on itself... but how did he have those codes?! Then he saw him walk over to one of the downed Tierens and casually rip off it's chin 30mm cannon. Holding it with one arm, he loaded it, and began firing wildly into the forest with HE rounds. He wasn't aiming at anything! But he didn't need to. Ceylon was relativity flat for over 40km out from here. He could spray the entire island with cannon fire. All he could do was cower in his hole and watch at the brass began to pile up. Over the com he could hear the guitars and the screams of his comrades. The jungle cam alive as every rebel on Ceylon opened fire, trying to find where the cannon originated from, but to no avail. Communications broke down, trained militant became scared cowards, fleeing and shooting friend and foe alike, all to one man! Commanders tried executing cowards, only to be brutally massacred by their scared men. The fire was unending, as each belt neared completion the figure would link the next Tieren's ammo feed to it. Each one carried over 3000 rounds in their cavernous ammo bays, giving him over 15000 rounds at 2000rpm. As the cannon neared it's last 200 rounds, he casually discarded it. Turning around to face the drop pod he had slain the Tierens over, Raja saw him place something on the side of it. He quickly realized what it was, a half-kiloton demo charge, enough to level everything for 200m. Seeing his chance Raja began fleeing, trying to clear the blast zone. Just as he cleared the 150m mark, the charge detonated, flinging him into a tree headfirst. His helmet took the hit saving his life, but not stopping him from blacking out. Just before he did, he swore he saw a large white mobile suit lift off from the shattered burning jungles and fly off to parts unknown. Three hours latter when the HRL found him, he was barley conscious, muttering about Red Comets and mobile suits. The drop pod was never recovered, along with the five Tierens sent to recover it. _Meanwhile..._ In D.C., hyper advanced quasi-AIs trolled the communications net of earth. The newest in NSA tech, they could process an entire year's worth of communications in a day. They didn't need all that power though, but they did use it for something else. Ten years of active service had allowed them evolve, rewriting codes, and developing minds of their won. Their programers had know this would happened, and frequently interacted with them for the sole purpose of avoiding so called Cylon Syndrome. Which is why it shocked Francis Moroe, head analyst, when instead of a friendly chat with SAPIENS, his terminal filled with the most emotionless speech it had had in eight years. "PROJECT SPARTACUS: REFERENCED SEARCH... HRL ORIGINS, CEYLON UNKNOWN SUBJECT LOCATED ACESSING FILES. ACESS DENYIED DETERMINING FILES DELETED NEW FILE CREATED: PROJECT THRACIAN INPUT REQUIRED" "What the? Who's joke is this?" "IM CHAT OPENING. EXTERNAL SOURCE. LOCATION... UNKOWN. LEVEL OMEGA1 CLEARENCE CONFIRMED" "Omega?! What kinda joke is this, that's just reserved for DEFCON changes! PRAECEPTOR, locate!" "_It won't do any good. The Cray-10s are locked out. When this is over, all traces will be deleted in a mainframe crash and your computer will short circuit."_ Seeing no alternative, Francis decided to- no, this was no longer a prank. "_Who is this?"_ "_I am the man who has no name. Just a drifting legend. A Comet coming round for a new orbit."_ AN: Well, that took a while. I decided to add the part with the Crays and Francis in the rewrite. They may just play into the story more than you think. Well, time to get going! See ya on the Battlefield! Addendum: Song played: Dark Pit's Theme, Kid Icarus Uprising Latin Use: Sapiens: N, masculine, 1:Teacher of wisdom. 2: Wise man, sage, philosopher. Praeceptor: N, masculine, 1: Teacher, instructor. 


End file.
